Mouth & tongue feel scorched?

[TripleF]

Originally Posted by WWhermit

The pipe is not something that a person picks up and gets the hang of immediately. It takes time and patience.

Think of this, though. Look at this room. All of these people went through the same thing. None of us would be here if the end result was not worth the investment. It's a learning process.

It took me about a good month of having a pipe each day before one day I said "This is what pipe smoking is supposed to be!" Until then, I wondered why anyone would do it. It tasted like ash, hurt my tongue, frustrated me.

You'll get the hang of it, and from then on it's pure bliss, and a very fulfilling hobby.

Take the time to learn to fill a pipe correctly. A little on the loose side until you get it. It's easier to tamp down a loose bown than it is to loosen one that's too tight.

Sip slowly. Don't get hung up on the fact that you can't keep it lit. It's no big deal if you have to relight. It takes nothing away from the enjoyment for me if this happens.

Enjoy the time it takes. It's supposed to slow you down, take a break from the fast pace of life. Take a book with you, listen to a favorite CD.

You'll learn. It's worth the time. And if it gets to be nothing but frustration, put it down for a week or so, until you WANT to have a pipe. There should be no pressure here. This is about enjoyment.


WWhermit

Moments away from donating my pipes and baccy to others, I read this.
Thanks bro. Really, thanks very much. I will take your advise very carefully.

And those comments and help is exactly what makes this place, THEE PLACE!!!!

[JaKaacH]

Hey Scott

Don't give up on the pipe yet..
It might just be a tobacco that you don't like or its too wet, or the bowl is filled wrong..etc, etc..

I like to sprinkle some of the tobacco on a small plate and let it air out/dry for maybe a hour or so before I load up a bowl and smoke it. It seems to burn a little easier so you can get the little sips without puffing hard to keep it burning and then cause "tongue bite".

Find a shop that has some bulk tobacco and buy some small samples to try.

Once you get it going right there are some great smokes out there..Davidoff Scottish Mixture...yum http://www.pipesandcigars.com/scotmix.html

TripleF, what tobacco are you using? This could be a major source of frustration.

Many aromatics are simply too wet to smoke before a drying period. Virginias, to the non-experienced smoker, also tend to bite if not treated carefully.

May I suggest, as someone else has, a pouch of Prince Albert from your local drugstore. It's a basic burley, with a slight nutty flavor. Some say it's bland, but I'll tell you what, it's perfect for learning techinque.

Burleys often smoke cooler than most other types of tobacco. PA is one you can puff all day and it won't bite ya back.

Fill the pipe loosely to the top, use your tamper (or finger) to press ever so slightly, until you just start to feel some resistance. Fill it back up one more time.

Do your charring light, tamp LIGHTLY again. Do your true light and sit back. If you have a full draw on the pipe (you don't have to *suck in* with difficulty), you know it's not packed too tight. If it feels like you're not able to keep it lit, tamp just a bit more, then try. This way you'll get a feel for how "springy" the tobacco should feel in the pipe to keep it lit.

Sip slowly, just enough to draw the smoke through the pipe. Point the pipe so it doesn't shoot the smoke onto your tongue, angle it up just a bit. Once your tongue adjusts to the pipe, you'll find yourself aiming the smoke onto your tongue to capture the flavor. Technique is more important right now though.

Don't be afraid to dump the bowl out and start over if it's packed too tightly. PA is cheap, the bowl cost you around .20 cents.

I'm glad you didn't give up quite yet. Give us a progress report, sir, and let us know how we can help.

WWhermit

Hey Scott!

Sorry to hear you're having trouble with the pipe, but looks like you're getting some great advice here. The keys to a bite-free smoke are in packing the pipe loosely at the bottom and tighter towards the top (gravity feed the tobacco into the bowl letting it fill up. Push down 'til it's about halfway up the bowl, gravity feed some more tobacco in, push down 'til it's about three quarters up the bowl, fill again, and tamp so it's firm). While you're filling it, take a quick draw (without lighting it) and see if it draws freely. If it does, keep going. If not, it's too tight.

Secondly, smoke s-l-o-w-l-y. As others have said here, it's meant to be enjoyed slowly. You've seen me nurse a good sized pipe all afternoon at the Tobacco Hut - no tongue bite for me!

Next time you're at Lou's, get an ounce or so of his Alaskan Gold. It's not an aromatic, but a mild English blend, burley based. The sugars in aromatic tobaccos can contribute to tongue bite, so perhaps while you're experimenting with packing and lighting techniques, stick to a non-aromatic.

I wrote a one-page website some time back called Pipe Smoking 101 which you may find helpful.

Good luck!

- Bob

[TripleF]

Originally Posted by Seneca77

Hey Scott!

Sorry to hear you're having trouble with the pipe, but looks like you're getting some great advice here. The keys to a bite-free smoke are in packing the pipe loosely at the bottom and tighter towards the top (gravity feed the tobacco into the bowl letting it fill up. Push down 'til it's about halfway up the bowl, gravity feed some more tobacco in, push down 'til it's about three quarters up the bowl, fill again, and tamp so it's firm). While you're filling it, take a quick draw (without lighting it) and see if it draws freely. If it does, keep going. If not, it's too tight.

Secondly, smoke s-l-o-w-l-y. As others have said here, it's meant to be enjoyed slowly. You've seen me nurse a good sized pipe all afternoon at the Tobacco Hut - no tongue bite for me!

Next time you're at Lou's, get an ounce or so of his Alaskan Gold. It's not an aromatic, but a mild English blend, burley based. The sugars in aromatic tobaccos can contribute to tongue bite, so perhaps while you're experimenting with packing and lighting techniques, stick to a non-aromatic.

I wrote a one-page website some time back called Pipe Smoking 101 which you may find helpful.

Good luck!

- Bob

Thanks for the info Bob!! Yes, the info here is very helpful!!

My past couple of pipes have been a little more pleasing and less scorching. I am sipping and trying to smoke slower, but haven't mastered the art of an all afternoon pipe brother. I think a better pipe would help the issue a bit, so I am trying to find a cost effective option.